Device for separating fuel components

Abstract

A device for separating fuel components comprising a separating membrane for separating high-octane fuel components from un-separated fuel and a heat exchanger between first liquid passing through the heat exchanger and second liquid passing through the heat exchanger, is provided. The first liquid is un-separated fuel passing through the heat exchanger before being supplied to the separating membrane. The second liquid is low-octane fuel remaining when the high-octane fuel components are separated from the un-separated fuel, passing through the heat exchanger after changing to an almost liquid phase.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates to a device for separating fuel components.[0003]2. Description of the Related Art[0004]For example, in an engine having a high compression ratio, high-octane fuel is needed to restrain knocking. However, in low engine load operations in which knocking rarely occurs, the engine may not be required to use high-octane fuel, but low-octane fuel. Accordingly, it is suggested that the engine not use high-octane fuel (high-octane gasoline) which is expensive, but regular gasoline which is separated into high-octane fuel components and the remaining fuel as low-octane fuel by a device for separating fuel components.[0005]The device for separating fuel components separates aromatic components as high-octane fuel components from fuel by means of a separating membrane and makes the remaining fuel low-octane fuel. In such a device for separating fuel components, un-separated fuel is preferably heated ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007]Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a device for separating fuel components, which can sufficiently cool down the low-octane fuel remaining when high-octane fuel components are separated by means of the separating membrane without a large heat exchanger.

[0013]According to the third device for separating fuel components of the present invention, in the second device, in a low vehicle speed condition when a speed of the vehicle on which the third device is mounted is lower than a predetermined speed, the un-separated fuel at the set flow rate larger than the set flow rate in the engine idle condition is supplied to the separating membrane to separate high-octane fuel components, and the air cooling apparatus has the cooling ability which can change a gas phase part of the low-octane fuel remaining when the high-octane fuel components are separated from the un-separated fuel at both set flow rates in the low vehicle speed condition and the engine idle condition to an almost liquid phase. Thus, in both the low vehicle speed condition and the engine idle condition, with the air cooling apparatus, the low-octane fuel can be made to pass through the heat exchanger as the second liquid.

Problems solved by technology

Therefore, to sufficiently cool down the low-octane fuel including the gas phase, a very large heat exchanger is required, and it is thus difficult for the device for separating fuel components with such a very large heat exchanger to be mounted on a vehicle.

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